"Chain Reaction" Power Failure Book I

by Andrew Draper

  Chapter Five

 

  Jenny sat in the huge leather chair and tried to control her restless thoughts. As she looked around, she saw Jack's drink, momentarily forgotten on the bar. She found the presence of a cocktail glass odd, because Jack virtually never drank during working hours. Even stranger was the fact that he called her to his office so early in the first place.

  Jenny surmised that whatever he wanted to discuss must be important, if he couldn't wait till the weekly staff meeting already scheduled for later that afternoon.

  “Do you want some coffee or something?” he asked.

  “No, thanks I grabbed one on the way in.”

  Picking up his drink, he walked around to the other chair and sat down. He took a sip and made his opening gambit.

  “How's the battery project going?” he asked.

  The question didn’t totally blindside her and she studied him for several seconds, taking a moment to formulate an evasive, yet believable, response.

  “For the most part it's progressing well, just a few bugs to get out.”

  Why the sudden interest? She wondered, her nerves tingling with foreboding.

  Jack ran several research departments and she couldn't think of a logical reason he would be so interested in any one project. This, coupled with the appearance of the nameless soldier in the hallway, vaulted her suspicion into overdrive. Mentally confirming her chosen course of action, she decided to keep the true status of the project to herself.

  “I hope to see some real results by the middle of next year. A full break‑down will be in the monthly report.” She offered.

  After years of allowing her creative control of her projects, she couldn’t understand his sudden bit of micro-management.

  “Jack, you and I have known each other for a long time, and you didn't call me in here to get a status report that you could have read in a memo, did you?”

  He paused, then reached into his jacket and withdrew a long, thick cigar. He removed the band before igniting it with a gold lighter taken from his pocket.

  “All right, I'll get to the point. You've been doing a great job and I think you've earned a promotion,” he said, puffing a cloud of thick smoke between words. “You should be concentrating on recruiting new projects and talent and let the junior staff take on the existing work. The board members and I think you’re ready for more responsibility.”

  She thought for a long minute, rolling the offer over in her mind, closely examining the ulterior motives that seemed to spring up like weeds. “What would I be doing if I'm not in the lab?”

  Seeing a look of disappointment color his features, she backtracked. “Don’t get me wrong. I have no objection to the other guys taking over the current projects, they’re all capable. They can finish what's in progress. All accept the “Ever-cell” project. That's my baby, and no one touches it but me.”

  Jack briefly contemplated the cigar’s charred gray tip, rolling off the burned tobacco into a crystal ashtray until it glowed cherry red.

  “Don’t panic. The project will be in good hands. I’ll put a full team on it so we can get it finished…”

  Fear spiking in her thoughts, she stopped him in mid‑sentence, leaning forward and sitting on the edge of the chair. “Jack, we've talked about this before. You know it's too dangerous. Have you thought about what the wrong people could do with this kind of power?” she shook her head, her mouth set in stalwart determination. “The potential for abuse is too great. We have a responsibility to see that this technology is used properly. I want to see people benefit from my work, not be killed by it.”

  She became a touch defensive and her voice climbed an octave as she continued. “I won't have my work go the way of Einstein's, or Fermi's! I won’t!”

  He puffed on his cigar, engaging her eyes for a long moment before answering. “Do you remember the rough time you had getting ‘Ever-cell’ off the ground? Don't you want to see others get the same chance you did? I think your talents would be put to better use finding those kinds of people and projects…and making sure they come to this facility instead of our competition.”

  A sizable twinge of self-recrimination and guilt gripped her.

  I can’t remember how many times I prayed for an outfit like this to help me. All those brilliant scientists with new ideas stuck in the same place I was back then.

  “Well, you have a point. But I still…” she stumbled over the words.

  He interrupted her and went on. “I've been talking to the board and we think that you would be the perfect choice to be the new Vice-President of Project Development.” he paused again. “And if it makes you feel better, I will personally assume control of the ‘Ever-cell’ project and oversee its completion.”

  Disbelief poured over her in heavy waves. Hands shaking, she just sat there looking at him in stunned silence. The thought of that much power in the wrong hands scared the hell out of her.

  It wasn't that she didn't trust Jack, he was a super guy. More than once he had gone to bat for her projects with the board. He was also a brilliant scientist in his own right. However, he still indirectly worked for the military and she knew if the Pentagon got their hands on her battery technology all bets were off.

  Even Jack couldn't insure its security then. I have to buy some time…but how?

  “All right Jack, I'll think it over and I'll let you know.”

  She could feel him about to push for an answer when they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

  “I'm sorry Jenny, excuse me a minute.” He turned, calling toward the door. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Murphy, sir.”

  He got up, went to the door and opened it. Sean Murphy entered the office with his ever‑present mail cart. “Sorry for the interruption sir, but your secretary isn’t at her desk…and some of this mail is marked urgent.”

  Sean pulled a large stack of mail from his cart and placed it on Jack's desk.

  As the two waited to resume their conversation, Sean caught her eye. Her stomach clenched in distaste.

  Heading toward the door, Murphy paused. “Excuse me again, Jenny. Would you like your mail now or do you want me to drop it off in your office?”

  “In my office please. Thank you.” She answered.

  For reasons she couldn’t quite figure out, the ferret-like man made her skin crawl.

  Murphy closed the door behind him as he left and pushed the cart down the hall.

  Jack returned to his chair, finishing the drink. “All right, where were we?”